THE HYPE:Queen of the Insta-ready lip, Huda’s Liquid Matte colours were an instant success, giving pouters everwhere that solid and shine-free finish they desired. But, as good as they look on the grid, a matte lip isn’t the most comfortable day-to-day formula. Enter ‘Demi Matte’: which has a slight sheen on the finish, but the same solid staying power. Think satin instead of suede.

REVIEWER:Jennifer George, freelance Beauty Editor

BEAUTY BIO:I get crazy excited about new product launches, but day-to-day like a low-key look, and try bold trends for silly selfies at home. I have a big mouth – both literally and figuratively – and look like a clown in red lipstick. The struggle to find a 10/10 mascara is real.

WHAT I USUALLY LOOK FOR IN A LIPSTICK:Um, I don’t… partly because of the clown comparison, and partly because I don’t want to draw attention to the fact that I usually haven’t waxed my moustache. I like a tinted balm or nourishing nude at most, that runs no risk of cracking or ended up on my teeth.

HUDA BEAUTY DEMI MATTE REVIEW:There are 15 colours to choose from, but I’m not going to review every one because who has time for that (not you, or me) and my already dehydrated lips couldn’t handle the on-off-on-off process. There’s a great range from the gothic looking ‘Bawse’ (that’s boss, in case like me, you didn’t get that…), to the really red ‘Passionista’ and nudey tones of ‘Feminist’ and ‘SheEO’. As always, Huda’s had fun with the shade-naming and I’m into it.

(from L-R: Boy Collector, SheRO, Game Changer, Passionista, Bawse)

Your guide to every single Huda Beauty palette and what to use them for

The doe-foot applicator comes out coated with just the right amount of formula (the tube has a slight suction to it when you remove it) and you can really see a lot of thought has gone into this. I’m a complete novice at using this sort of product, and – even without liner (which is recommended) – I get an almost-exact application in one go. Any smearing over the edges is easily fixed with my fingers.

Unlike the original Liquid Matte, this doesn’t dry to a complete shine-free finish. It feels flexible and comfortable, and not too thick. It can be built for a glossier finish, but won’t ever look like a proper lacquer. In fact, blotted down it looks almost like a regular bullet lipstick finish (in a good way). In other words, it’s quite multi-functional.

The colour has serious staying power, but if you want that sheen-y finish I suspect you’ll need to avoid activities including eating, kissing or closing your mouth. Talking too much isn’t advisable either. But for the ‘Gram? Brilliant!

THE VERDICT:As a high-shine-thick-gloss virgin the scarily strong colours (like ‘Bawse’) were too much for me. However, I was genuinely surprised how much I took to the formula. It didn’t dry my lips at all, was simple to apply and didn’t fall into the unsightly cracks in my dehydrated lips. The shade was a pinker, brighter nude than I’d usually go for which looked perky and pretty but not attention seeking. The name? ‘Game Changer’. Go figure.